HI, Harry,
Thanks for sharing this interesting article about the potential demise of copyright.
The author describes some difficult problems of enforcement of copyright law, while reminding us of the importance of the law itself.

It seem to me that copyright proprietors will need to develop new market solutions for protection and dissemination of their work. What they cannot protect through copyright will be protected by contract, and such contracts may be a great deal more restrictive for content users than the requirements of the current copyright law.  This has already begun, as you know, and will continue as technology increases the ease of copying and distribution.

I'm glad that lawmakers are trying to protect intellectual property, and glad that new business models are being proposed for those forms of intellectual property that cannot, at this time, be protected from unlimited copying.

Based on past history, I'm sure a way will be found to balance the rights of intellectual property owners with the rights of the general  society to use the works created by authors and inventors.  Technology is evolving so very, very quickly that the only path open to us, it seems to me, is for intellectual property owners to look for ways to use the new technology to provide new markets for their works.

No one has ever succeeded at stopping new technology, but technology as discussed in this article is only a means of delivering intellectual property.  I believe we can welcome the new technology while still protecting our intellectual property.

Thanks,
Janet

Dr. J. Nepkie
SUNY Distinguished Service Professor
Professor of Music and Music Industry
Fine Arts 145
State University College
Oneonta, NY 13820
tele: (607) 436 3425
fax:   607 436 2718
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From: "Pence, Harry ([log in to unmask]<mailto:[log in to unmask]>)" <[log in to unmask]<mailto:[log in to unmask]>>
Reply-To: Teaching Breakfast List <[log in to unmask]<mailto:[log in to unmask]>>
Date: Tue, 22 Nov 2011 15:38:42 -0500
To: "[log in to unmask]<mailto:[log in to unmask]>" <[log in to unmask]<mailto:[log in to unmask]>>
Subject: The End of Copyright?

Dear Friends,
Since we have talked about copyright several times, you may be interested in this article from Forbes which suggests that copyright is dying, and even the most extreme penalities, like SOPA, may not be able to keep it alive.

http://www.forbes.com/sites/adamthierer/2011/11/20/the-twilight-of-copyright/

If this is true, how will it affect us in higher education?  Will there be a replacement for copyright, and, if so, what will it look like?  Will we all adopt the creative commons, or something else?


Harry


Harry E. Pence
SUNY Distinguished Teaching Professor Emeritus
SUNY Oneonta